Saved by the Bell originated as an NBC pilot entitled Good Morning, Miss Bliss. When NBC passed on the series, the Disney Channel picked up the program and aired the series for one season. The original intention was for teacher Miss Bliss, played by Hayley Mills, to be the main character. The characters Zack Morris, Samuel "Screech" Powers, Lisa Turtle, and Mr Richard Belding all originated on this series; other main characters, including classmates Nikki Coleman (Heather Hopper), Mikey Gonzalez (Max Battimo), and maintenance supervisor Mylo Williams (T. K. Carter), were discontinued when the show changed direction. Jaleel White, Brian Austin Green, and Jonathan Brandis all had roles in the pilot episode.

When the show was dropped by Disney after 13 episodes, the rights were acquired by NBC, which decided to revamp the series as Saved by the Bell. Executive Producer Peter Engel originally wanted the show to be called When the Bell Rings, but Tartikoff convinced him to go with the title Saved by the Bell.[4]

The cast of Saved by the Bell, clockwise from left: Screech, Slater, Lisa, Mr. Belding, Jessie, Zack, and Kelly

As Saved by the Bell, the focus of the show shifted toward the exploits of the students themselves, and Zack Morris became the show's lead character. Three of the teens from the original cast—Gosselaar, Diamond, and Voorhies—remained on the show, playing the same characters as they had in Good Morning, Miss Bliss, and Haskins also stayed on as Mr. Belding. However, the setting was changed from Indianapolis, Indiana, to the fictional "Bayside High School" in the Palisades in Los Angeles, California. The two students dropped from the original series were replaced by three new additions. Kelly Kapowski and Jessie Spano were introduced as longtime friends of the original three characters, and A.C. Slater rounded out the group as the new transfer student. Max, the proprietor of the local restaurant hangout, The Max, was also a cast member in early episodes.

After the show's second season, NBC sold the series into syndication with the Good Morning, Miss Bliss episodes included to pad out the syndication package, despite the plot-continuity problems and production changes. The Good Morning, Miss Bliss episodes were edited to include openings to match the Saved by the Bell episodes. These episodes are sometimes billed as Saved by the Bell: The Junior High Years.[citation needed] Before each of the earlier episodes, Mark-Paul Gosselaar provided in-character commentaries explaining that the episodes occurred in "junior high".

The show quickly became the highest-rated show on Saturday mornings. At the height of its popularity, the cast did road tours to malls and other public venues, where they interacted with fans and signed autographs.[citation needed] The show's popularity on Saturday morning led NBC to shift from airing mainly cartoons to more live-action, teen-oriented shows (California Dreams, Hang Time, etc.) under the TNBC banner.[5]

In the show's final season, NBC doubled the number of episodes ordered, despite needing to re-sign the entire cast to new contracts in order to film the extra episodes. Thiessen and Berkley refused to sign a new contract for these new episodes,[citation needed] resulting in a block of episodes that feature a new character, Tori Scott (Leanna Creel), in Thiessen's and Berkley's places.

The final episode of the series aired in prime time on May 22, 1993. The episode, which featured the cast graduating from high school, was filmed before Thiessen and Berkley left the show. The series finale was followed by a special airing of the Saved by the Bell: The College Years pilot episode, setting up the next phase of the characters' lives.

Zack (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) is a charming schemer who often opens episodes by breaking the fourth wall and addressing the viewers. He sometimes temporarily freezes all of the characters around him by calling "Time out!" and discussing with the viewers what his next plan of action will be before calling "Time in!", unfreezing the characters as they were. Zack's schemes always seem to backfire, resulting in unexpected outcomes and chaos.

Zack's best friends since grade school include Lisa Turtle, next-door neighbor Jessie Spano, and Samuel "Screech" Powers. Transfer student A.C. Slater initially enters the scene as Zack's rival for the affections of Kelly Kapowski, though the two eventually work their way up to being best friends. (Zack is often referred to as "Preppy" by Slater.[6])

Despite Zack's playboy persona, his main love interest is Kelly; they have an on-again, off-again relationship throughout the series' run.

Zack's father is a hotshot computer salesman who was played by two different actors. His mother is a kind, overly-permissive homemaker. Upon graduation, Zack is slated to go to Yale because he scores 1502 on the SAT, the highest of the gang (despite his slacker reputation), but he ultimately attends Cal U with Slater, Screech, and Kelly.

Kelly (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) is a cheerleader and has been described by creator Peter Engel as the quintessential "All-American Girl". She serves as the love interest for both Zack and Slater in the first season, forming a love triangle between the three; but it is Zack who eventually wins her heart and ends up marrying her.[7] Much of the show's storylines revolve around their on-again/off-again relationship.

Considered the most popular girl in school, Kelly is very kind and also has a squeaky clean reputation. Despite this, she did have to serve a couple of detentions.

Initially, Kelly was not a member of the show's core clique. At times, Kelly and Jessie argue due to their differences, such as Jessie believing that cheerleading is demeaning to women (although Jessie herself is a cheerleader in several episodes). Kelly is on the volleyball, cheerleading, and swim teams and is also a trained lifeguard. Zack has been obsessively in love with Kelly for years, as evidenced by a life-size poster of her in his bedroom.

Upon graduation, Kelly does not have enough money for college, so she attends community college. She later transfers to Cal U. with Zack, Slater, and Screech.

Albert Clifford "A.C." Slater (Mario Lopez) is the jock of the group. As an army brat, he was an outsider, having transferred to Bayside in the first episode (which aired later as a flashback episode). Slater mentions that he has been to Bolivia, Italy, Iceland, and Berlin among other places. He becomes the school's star athlete, excelling as a wrestler and the quarterback of the football team. He is on the basketball team in one episode, even though the basketball season coincides with the wrestling season. Another episode also mentions that he is on the track team. During the summer where the gang works at the fictional Malibu Sands Beach Club, Zack mentions that, "Slater is All-City in four sports," which is consistent with him being on the football, wrestling, basketball, and track teams.

Slater was originally written as Zack's rival for Kelly's affection before becoming Zack's best friend in season two. Slater develops an attraction to strong-willed feminist Jessie Spano (a running gag throughout the series is Jessie's constant bickering with Slater over his insensitive, chauvinistic remarks about women, referring to him as a "pig").

He refers to Zack as "Preppy" and when he starts dating Jessie, calls her "Mama". Lopez is a drummer and dancer and some episodes include Slater showcasing these "hidden talents". His father (a Major) appears in two episodes, but his mother never appears, though mentioned throughout the series. He also has a younger sister named JB whom Zack briefly dates, much to Slater's chagrin. In the season four episode "Love Machine", his ex-girlfriend from Berlin, Jenifer, visits and calls him by his real name, "Albert Clifford"; but the meaning of the abbreviation "A.C." periodically served as comedic fodder during the show's run.

The issue of Slater's ethnicity is addressed in an episode from The College Years, where it is revealed that 25 years earlier Slater's father changed his last name from Sanchez to Slater so he could get into the military academy. Although the episode reveals that Slater does not fluently understand Spanish, he is seen speaking broken Spanish to the kitchen staff of the Malibu Sands Beach club. Slater receives a wrestling scholarship to the University of Iowa, but ends up going to Cal U. with Zack, Screech, and Kelly.

Jessie (Elizabeth Berkley) is the gang's resident know-it-all crusader. She is often seen pursuing a variety of causes, such as environmentalism, while keeping up her position of class president as well as her reputation for being one of the smartest students in her class. Like Lisa and Screech, Jessie is Zack's childhood friend (despite the lack of continuity with Good Morning, Miss Bliss). She and Zack live next door to each other and Zack routinely climbs into her room via a tree outside her window to visit. From the second season onward, her main love interest is A.C. Slater, who disagrees with her feminist views. Jessie's parents are divorced and both are remarried during season three. Her mother's remarriage introduces a conniving stepbrother from New York named Eric (Joshua Hoffman) in a two-part episode, although neither her mother nor her stepfather are featured.[9] In another two-part episode, her father marries a much younger aerobics instructor named Leslie, whom Jessie initially disfavors.

Jessie also struggles with drug addiction at one point on the series, taking caffeine pills in order to stay awake for longer study hours. Jessie fully expects to be crowned valedictorian, but finishes a fraction of a point behind Screech. The race between the two figured as a significant plot point in the episode, with Screech yielding the honor to Jessie, knowing its importance to her. Jessie, however, finds out about her second-place status and uses the opportunity to highlight the caring relationships between the show's core group of characters. After graduation, Jessie attends Columbia University, although she long expressed a desire to attend Stanford University and likewise displayed interest in the fictional Stansbury, as well as other elite universities.

Screech (Dustin Diamond) is the nerd of the group. Screech has tagged along with Zack since they were in elementary school and is extremely loyal to him. In exchange for doing Zack's homework and being roped into Zack's various schemes, Screech receives protection from school bullies and a general boost in his confidence; but Zack's affection for Screech is evident in spite of this. Screech is very comfortable with his geekiness and even fancies himself a "ladies' man". The rest of the gang affectionately humors Screech for his eccentricities (e.g., hiding in his locker, wearing extremely loud and mismatched clothes, and obsessing over science and chess).

A recurring storyline in the series is his unrequited love for Lisa Turtle. During the series, Screech briefly has a girlfriend named Violet (Tori Spelling); it was never revealed why they broke up. Kelly also dates Screech in an episode from the first season as a token of thanks for helping her study for a science test. In several early episodes of the series, Screech has an anthropomorphized robot named Kevin, which he programs. Screech is the class valedictorian but gives that title to Jessie, as he knows how much it means to her. However, Jessie learns what Screech has done for her and returns the honor on graduation day. Screech is accepted to many colleges, although he is rejected from an all-women's school that is his number one choice. He chooses to go to the fictional Cal U. after graduation and shares a dormitory suite with Zack and Slater. Screech is also the only character to appear as a series regular in every incarnation of Saved by the Bell. He joins The New Class as an assistant to Mr. Belding.

Lisa (Lark Voorhies) is trendy and talkative. She is the clique's fashion expert and the gossip queen of Bayside High. She comes from a wealthy family; her father and mother are surgeons.

Originally, Lisa's character was written to be multi-ethnic (of Caucasian and Jewish descent); however, Voorhies was given the role. Because of her upbringing, Lisa always has access to the latest fashions and knows when something is "in" and when it is not. Like Jessie and Screech, Lisa has been Zack's friend since grade school, and some episodes hinted that she harbored a small crush on him. Lisa's goal is to become a world famous fashion designer (Voorhies later played fashion designer Jasmine Malone on The Bold and the Beautiful). For the majority of the gang's years at Bayside, one of the running gags was Screech's fruitless attempts to woo Lisa. While his romantic feelings for her are never returned and often rejected with insults and jokes, eventually she realizes she has developed a soft spot for Screech and even attends the Bayside Senior Prom with him. Upon graduation and after a successful fashion show, Lisa was accepted into the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins) is the principal of Bayside High School and the show's resident authority figure. However, when "Mr. Belding" attended high school, he was an anti-authority hippie whom, in one episode, Jessie described as "The Zack Morris of the '60s". According to an old copy of the school paper, Belding once mooned the school board. He mentions that had he been allowed to return for a fourth tour of duty, "the war would've been won in a week". He is known for his catchphrase, "Hey, hey, hey, HEY, HEY! What is going on here?" as well as his high-pitched laugh. Belding has frequent run-ins with Zack and his friends as either a foe to be outwitted or a friend to turn to for help. Despite being a responsible authority figure, Belding is unique as he genuinely seems to care what his students, particularly Zack, think of him. He is married to Rebecca "Becky" Belding (née Flugelman) and has an irresponsible younger brother Rod. Rod Belding appears in one episode, volunteering to take the class on a rafting trip but backing out at the last minute to go on a date with a stewardess. The resulting argument is overheard by Zack, who initially liked Rod's light-heartedness, but comes to appreciate Mr. Belding's more responsible manner. Belding remains the principal at Bayside (along with Screech as his assistant) until he leaves to become dean of students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (Haskins' alma mater in real life)[10] in the final episode of Saved by the Bell: The New Class.

Max (stage magician/comedian Ed Alonzo) is introduced in the first season as the owner of The Max, a favorite hangout of the gang. He acts as a liaison between the adult and kid worlds, serving as a guide and a friend to the gang. Max is known for his quirky sense of humor and his array of magic tricks. He stars in the first season, appears only once in the second, and then stops appearing in the third season when The Max is bought by a new owner. Under the new management, two new Max employees are introduced: Jeff, who broke up Zack and Kelly, and James, the actor.

Violet Anne Bickerstaff (Tori Spelling) is introduced in season two as Screech's girlfriend, and appears in three episodes in seasons two and three. She appears in episode 21, "House Party", where Screech's parents leave on vacation for Graceland. She also appears in episode 34, "Glee Club", and episode 41, "Check Your Mate".

Tori Scott (Leanna Creel) is introduced near the end of the series as the new girl at Bayside High. She is initially seen as a "tough girl" because she rides a motorcycle and is seldom seen without her leather jacket. At first, she's Zack’s nemesis, but the two eventually develop romantic feelings for each other. Tori replaced the characters Kelly and Jessie, after Thiessen and Berkley refused to renew their contracts, and Tori only appears in about half of the episodes in the final season.

Stacey Carosi (Leah Remini) is introduced in the Malibu Sands Beach Club episodes, where everyone in the group, except for Lisa (who is a guest there), takes a summer job. Stacey is on summer break from attending school on the East Coast, and her father, Leon Carosi (Ernie Sabella), is the owner of the club. Stacey is initially disgusted by Zack's West Coast lifestyle and refers to him sarcastically as "Dude", but they later develop romantic feelings for each other. They must hide their relationship from Leon, as Zack and Leon are at odds from the beginning of the summer. Their relationship ends when Stacey returns to New York for school. In the final summer episode, however, Leon learns about the romance, and still finds himself liking Zack.

Saved by the Bell: The New Class continues the story of Bayside High School, after the original cast has graduated. The series, which aired on Saturday mornings, features a new set of students anchored by Dennis Haskins, and later Dustin Diamond. Diamond’s character "Screech" becomes Principal Belding's administrative assistant on a work-study program from California University (a reference to Screech's college in The College Years). While Saved by the Bell: The New Class ran for seven seasons, it endured numerous cast changes (including a second season cast purge that left only Haskins and three other original cast members) and never gained the popularity of the original series (in fact, it was said to be one of the worst teen shows of the 90s).[11] Many of the New Class episodes were actually recycled plots from the original Saved by the Bell. Slater, Lisa, and Zack make cameo appearances in one episode in season two while trying to keep Bayside from being bought and destroyed. The Max remains as the hangout for the Bayside High students, although a fire burned it down in one episode, and it is given a new look.

On April 9, 2006, Cartoon Network's Adult Swim announced that Saved by the Bell would air at midnight as a two-week special starting April 17. On April 19, 2006, Adult Swim also posted on their website that Saved by the Bell was back in production. A week later, the announcement was exposed as a joke.[12]

On March 27, 2009, NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon launched a campaign to get the cast on board for a Saved by the Bell reunion. Fans signed an online petition and pledged their support for the cast to reunite on the show. Dennis Haskins, Lark Voorhies, Mario Lopez, Elizabeth Berkley, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar agreed to a reunion.[13][14] Gosselaar reprised his role as Zack Morris in a skit on Late Night on June 8, 2009, while promoting his then current TNT drama, Raising the Bar. The spoof interview closed with a performance of "Friends Forever," originally by Zack Attack, where Zack played guitar and sang with backing from Fallon's house band, The Roots. Tiffani Thiessen posted a parody video to the website Funny or Die, where she claimed she was too busy to join the reunion.[15]

The cast reunited in August 2009 for a photo shoot in People Magazine. Diamond was not invited to participate in the photo shoot because of poor relationships with the rest of the cast. Diamond’s image was also edited out of the 1989 cast photo that was used on the cover inset of an issue of People Magazine to show how the cast looked 20 years later.[16]

The cast convened again when Haskins, Diamond, Gosselaar, Voorhies, and Lopez did their own voices in a Saved by the BellSaw parody, called "Sawed by the Bell", on "Boo Cocky", a season three episode of Robot Chicken. Gosselaar also provided audio commentary for the episode on the DVD.

On February 4, 2015, the cast appeared on a skit on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon while episodes of the program were taped in Los Angeles. Haskins, Gosselaar, Lopez, Berkley and Thiessen all participated, though Voorhies and Diamond did not, with Thiessen's real-life pregnancy, Lopez's involvement with Dancing with the Stars and Berkley's film Showgirls the targets of some of the humor.[17]

Lionsgate Home Entertainment released all four seasons of Saved by the Bell, broken into five seasons (season 4 split in two) on DVD in Region 1. However, several episodes from the first two seasons are syndicated versions and not the original broadcast versions. Lionsgate released the two feature length TV movies on DVD, in Region 1, on August 7, 2007.[18] On March 13, 2012, Lionsgate (distributed by Alliance Films) released Saved by the Bell: The Complete Collection on DVD in Canada.[19] The 13-disc set features all 86 episodes of the series as well as the two reunion tele-films.

On November 5, 2013, Lionsgate released a complete-series set in the United States.[20] It does not contain the reunion movies but does include some bonus commentaries.

In 2009, Dustin Diamond published an inside story of the show's cast and crew from his point of view, entitled Behind the Bell.[30] The book paints an unflattering portrait of many of Diamond's colleagues and their alleged backstage behavior. Some of Diamond’s claims have been refuted by colleagues and questioned by critics.[31] Diamond also alleges in the book that he had sex with 2,000 women, one of them being NBC's Vice President of children's programming, Linda Mancuso, who was 18 years his senior.[32][33] Diamond later disclaimed responsibility for much of the book's content, blaming his ghostwriter for fabricating salacious stories.[34]

In September 2013, Bayside! The Musical! The unauthorized parody of Saved by the Bell opened at NYC's Theatre 80. Bayside! The Musical! was called "Super Camp and Super Fun" by Perez Hilton [36] and was named a NY Times Critics' Pick.[37]Bayside! The Musical! was written and directed by Bob and Tobly McSmith, the same creative team behind Showgirls! The Musical! In contrast to the wholesome nature of Saved by the Bell, Bayside! The Musical! contains strong language and adult situations throughout. The show's run has been extended 6 times.

Bayside! originally debuted in 2005 under the title Bayside! The UnMusical![38] The following year a sequel was produced called Bayside 2! Electric Screechio[39] The show then took several years off, reopening in 2012 at NYC's Kraine Theatre with a revamped script and new cast[40] Following the success of Showgirls! The Musical! the show's creators Bob and Tobly McSmith revisited their script and reworked it from the ground up.

The show has had appearances from original Saved by the Bell cast members such as Dustin Diamond [41] and Dennis Haskins.[42]

^Levi, Lili (April 2010). "A "Pay or Play" Experiment to Improve Children's Educational Television". Federal Communications Law Journal, Volume 62, Issue 2. Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Retrieved 2014-10-19. Perhaps because of its concerns about trenching on broadcasters' expressive rights, and/or because of differences regarding qualitative programming assessments even by experts, the FCC has not engaged in extensive, intensive, or timely enforcement of its children's programming rules. It has let slide claims that shows like Saved by the Bell satisfy E/I requirements, taken a leisurely approach to empirical study, and delayed for years the resolution of still pending test claims of noncompliance.